Deadly Conversations
by Burning Fate
Summary: Kate Shepard is watching Grunt and Garrus talk in the med bay, but then something goes horribly wrong and she ends up getting hurt the worse for it.


Grunt and Garrus were standing by the door that lead into Legion's room. Shepard was sitting at the lunch table sipping a glass of water as she watched them speak to each other through the glass windows.

'I wonder what their talking about in there.' As she stares at the two she now notices that they start shouting at each other. Grunt grabs Garrus by the collar of his armor and throws him into the wall. As Grunt moved back she saw Garrus slip down to the floor.

'Shit!' She quickly jumps out of her seat; dropping the glass and hearing it shatter onto the metal floor. She ran into the room and up behind Grunt who was ready to kick Garrus. She grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back before he could.

"What do you think you're doing!"

"Damn turian was insulting my clan! That's my reason, now back off!" He swings his arm back accidently elbowing Shepard in the gut.

"Ah!" She fell to her knees with a hand on the ground and an arm around her waist as she gasped for air.

"What the hell was that for! She didn't even deserve that!" Garrus yelled.

"She was in my way. It's not like I meant to. I stick up for my Battle Master. I would never mean to hurt her unless she attacked me and maybe not even then."

"Shepard!" Garrus gets up and pushes the krogan out of the way as he kneels down beside Shepard to comfort her. "Are you okay?" She slowly looks up at Garrus.

"Yeah. I just got the wind knocked out of me. That's all."

"I apologize for that Shepard."

"It's alright. Are you okay Garrus?"

"No need to worry about me Shepard."

"Okay. Do you have anything you would like to say to Grunt?"

"Nothing."

"Take back what you said about clan Urdnot!"

"Never."

"I'll just have to torture you until you say it then! You'll be begging for your life!" As Grunt sprinted towards Garrus, Shepard stood up and held him back.

"Please, don't do it. Don't hurt Garrus."

"Ngh. Dammit Shepard." He lowered his fist and looked into Shepards dark blue eyes. She could see that he was furious. She could feel his body shaking with anger as she looked into his eyes. He was giving her a look that made her think that she was going to die right there in front of Garrus due to the krogan's uncontrollable rage.

"…Clan Urdnot is not a disgrace…." Grunt backed away from Shepard and walked out of the door and to the elevator.

"Shepard. Why did you come in here? I could have taken care of the situation." She turns around to face Garrus with tears building up in her eyes.

"What did you say to him! Do you know what he's been through! Learning that his clan is dying one by one because of the damn genophage! So many krogans' have been experimented on to try to find a cure, but they die before they even find one! They want what's best for the women and children but they just throw their lives away to find nothing!" She runs out of the room and ran into the elevator and headed down to the engine room. When the doors opened she ran out and into the engine room to her best friend Tali, covering her eyes as tears rolled down her face.

"So much pain and suffering!" Tali runs over to her.

"Shepard! What's wrong with you?"

"Tali, *sniffle* have you ever thought about what pain the krogan's have been through?"

"Once in a while. Is that why you're crying?"

"Yes. I'm so sorry. I'm just over reacting." She took her hand and whipped the tears from her face. Tali puts her hands onto Shepard's shoulders.

"Don't be. You're not over reacting about anything. You just care about everything. That's good."

"Really?"

"Of course it is. You need someone. Here, now. That cares about you."

"Heh. Who else but my best friend."

"Come here." Tali opens her arms giving Shepard the hug sign. They both put their arms around each other.

"Thank you Tali. After we destroy the collectors I'm going to help Mordin find a cure for the genophage."

"Good for you Shepard." They separate.

"I should go talk to Grunt. He could use a friend."

"Okay Shepard. You know where to find me if you need to talk." She walks out of the room and runs to Grunt's. She opens the door and walks in to see Grunt in front of her sitting down on the bench attached to the wall. He looks up at her.

"Shepard."

"Grunt." She walks over and sits beside him on the bench. "I'm so sorry for what Garrus said. I don't know how bad it was, but…."

"You have nothing to be sorry about. The turian should be the one that's sorry."

"He….just….got carried away."

"That's no reason why he should have said those things about my clan. He doesn't know what I've been through. What my clan has been through." Shepard grabbed hold of the knees of her pants with both hands and made fist; trying not to cry again.

"It's sad I know. I wish I could do something to help your clan but I'm just one person." Grunt looks at her as a tear rolls down her face. "Dammit. Sorry. I tried not to cry but I can't help it."

"You mean you actually care about my clan?"

"I care about everything and everyone. I'm just a very loving person. You might think it's stupid but I just-." Grunt grabbed the side of her face where the tear fell and whipped it away with his thumb.

"It's not stupid." He removes his hand and looks away. "It's just…..sigh. Complicated."

"What?"

"What my clan has been through. Everyone getting infected by the genophage, dying, children dying. The day that Okeer died and all of the other krogan soldiers. Just to save one krogan. Me. It was a waste. The only thing that I was designed to do was kill. But now that I have a clan to call my own, I know that I'm designed for so much more."

"You're right Grunt. You are. I know that on the inside you're a really nice guy. You're way more than just a killing machine."

"Thank you Shepard." He looks down at the floor.

"….Do you need a hug?"

"What! Of course not! Hugs are for wimps!"

"But you do need one!"

"….Fine." They hug and then let go of each other. "I actually…..feel better now. I don't feel as angry as I did before."

"Heh heh. Told ya. I should go talk to Garrus now. See ya later!"

"Bye." Shepard walks out of the room and back into the elevator and heads for the Bridge. She walks out of the elevator and walks over to Kelly.

"Hey Kelly. Has Garrus been up here?"

"Yes Commander. He went to speak with Mordin."

"Thank you."

"Sure thing Commander." As Shepard turns Kelly grabs her shoulder, "Commander," Shepard turns her head, first looking at Kelly's hand then at her face.

"Uh….Yeah?"

"I….."

"Spit it out. I've got important things to do."

"I…love you." Shepard starts to feel noxious and dizzily walks to the door leading to where Jacob was.

"That's…nice to know Kelly…..I'll uh….." She runs through the doors and to Jacob. Ignoring what Kelly just said, Shepard acts her normal commandering way.

"Yo Jake! What's up!"

"Notin much Commander."

"Has Garrus come in here to talk to you?"

"No. Why? Did something happen?"

"Well…He and Grunt kinda got into a little fight…."

"Uh oh. How'd that turn out?"

"Not good. I think I really hurt Garrus's feelings."

"Go talk to him."

"Come with me!"

"What! Why!"

"Because I said so! Disobey my orders and I'll kill you in your sleep!" 'Just kidding!'

"…..O-Okay. Heh heh heh. *Sigh*." They both walk over to the door that goes into the lab. Shepard stops at the door.

"What is it Shep-?"

"Shhhhh!" She could over hear the conversation that Garrus and Mordin were having.

"I don't know what to do about my feelings for Shepard, Mordin. I think I made her really mad after what happened with Grunt." Mordin stood behind his desk listening to the turian as he typed.

"Talk to her. Could be very forgiving. Explain to her what happened. Apologize. *Long breath* Could end good or bad."

"Apologize to whom? Grunt or Shepard?"

"Both. Be cautious around krogan. Unpredictable of what he will do. May kill you, may not. If you come back alive, talk to girl. Will possibly understand."

"But what do I do about my feelings?"

"Tell her. May feel same about you."

"But every time I'm around her I can't tell her."

"Simply shyness. Nothing more. Is predictable among humans and turians. Learn not to be shy."

"How?"

"Suggestion. Take her to quiet place. No one around. Say things there. If you can not do that, ask her friends what she likes. Get her something. That might give her hint. Go on missions with her. Protect her. Don't leave her side for anything. She get hurt, you stay with her. Carry back to ship. Could make move there."

"What kind of move?"

"Go ask other person. I have work to do. Possibly Joker. Or Jack…..don't ask her. Even though she is one of Shepard's good friends. Might bring up rape or something. Not a very good advice giver."

"Fine then." Garus walks out of the room and walks to the cockpit to speak with Joker. Shepard and Jacob walk into the lab.

"Ah. Shepard, Jacob. Nice to see you both. Grunt and Garrus got into fight? What a shame. What happened?"

"I'm not sure yet Mordin. But I'm hoping to find out. Soon."

"Right Shepard. Will be here if you need me."

"Okay. Come on Jacob."

"Why?"

"Remember. When you're sleeping."

"Okay okay!" They walk out and head down to the crew deck in the elevator. They run to Miranda's room.

"Miranda. I need advice."

"Advice? From me? What is it Commander?"

"Well I just found out that someone on the Normandy likes me."

"Oh…..Well Commander, are you planning on talking to this "person" about it?"

"Maybe. Come with me!"

"Why?"

"Jacob."

"Uh, don't disobey the Commander, Miranda. Trust me."

"…..Okay then. Let's go." They run to Samara's room, then Thane's, and Legion's then down to the engineering room to get Tali, Jack, and Grunt. All of them get into the elevator and head for the bridge.

"Alright. Miranda, Jacob, you two ask people on the deck if Garrus has said anything about me. Legion, Jack, go talk to Mordin. Thane, Samara, go ask Joker what Garrus wanted. Tali and Grunt, you come with me." They all split up into their two man groups.

"Why are we doing this Shepard?" asked Grunt.

"Because of Garrus. We're going to go talk to him while everyone else is occupied."

"Heh heh heh. Maybe I'll get to smash his face in."

"Shepard wants to help you and Garrus. No smashing his face."

"Fine. But if he starts something again, don't try to hold me back."

"Whatever."

"Cheer up." They walk into the elevator and go back down to the crew deck. They run to the room that Garrus is 'calibrating' in. They walk in and the door shuts behind them. Garrus turns around. "Shepard, Tali! …And Grunt. Need me for something?"

"Apologize to Grunt. Please?"

"Hmm…."

"That's it. I'm ripping his face off!" Tali tries to hold him back. "Hurry Shepard! Convince him to say it!"

"Garrus please!"

"Fine. Grunt, I'm sorry for what I said."

"You think that sorry is going to help me any!" He pushes Tali out of his way. She falls back and hits the consol to the side. She falls to the ground unconscious. Shepard blocks him from Garrus. "Outta my way Shepard!"

"No! Why can't you just talk this out!" He pulls out his shotgun, the tip of it on Shepard's forehead.

"Ah!"

"I said move." She closes her eyes as tight as she can.

"N-No." Garrus grabs her and puts her aside.

"What do you want me to do?"

"I want you dead!"

"Um…..I can't do that."

"Then I'll do it!" He points the shotgun at him. Shepard gets in front of Garrus as Grunt fires his weapon. Bullets sunk into her stomach.

"Ah! G-Garrus. Run." She fell face down onto the cold metal floor.

"SHEPARD! Dr. Chakwas!" Grunt stared at Shepard as she held her stomach and barred her teeth in pain. The doctor heard Garrus yell and ran with Mordin to where the voice was coming from.

"My god, what happened?" The doctor asked hovering her hands over Shepards bleeding body.

"Grunt, that…..that…" Garrus said nothing more. He only turned his head to the side.

"Vitals dropping quickly. Must proceed with emergency procedures." Mordin studied. Then, Shepards eyes closed. Most likely hours later, a beeping noise woke her up. She sat up in the metal bed that was covered with soft white blankets and looked around. She was in the med bay. Mordin walked over to her side and scanned her with his omni tool.

"Ah, very good, very good." He dropped his arm. "You must not move so quickly Shepard. Slightest movement could….rupture wounds." Shepard looked down a her stomach that was covered with bandages.

"Garrus!" She yelled.

"Do not worry. Garrus is fine. Grunt on other hand…full of rage."

"I'll try to go talk to him." Shepard said, holding her stomach as she tried to get out of the bed.

"No Shepard. Do not want my patient to be wounded more than before. You almost died." Mordin said lifting her legs back onto the bed.

"I…..I have to…..I'll have EDI turn on the security drone if it comes to it." Shepard, with Mordin's hands gestured out to help her out of bed, stood up slowly and limped to the door and to the elevator. She clicked the button to go down. She walked into the cargo hold, limping and holding her wounds.

"Grunt." She said painfully.

"Shepard!" He yelled running over to her. She held a hand up and closed her eyes.

"Wait! I'm not here to talk about Garrus!" He didn't stop. He picked her up gently and sat her down on the extended bench of metal in the corner.

"You shouldn't be up Shepard. You need to take it easy and not be walking around like a stupid varren after a big fight."

"Y….You're not going to-?"

"Shepard….I…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you like that."

"Then why-."

"You got in my way. After I pulled that trigger and you fell to the ground….I just couldn't do anything. I guess you could say that….I was afraid…" Shepard was stunned. A big krogan like Grunt? Afraid?

"Afraid of-."

"I thought I killed you Shepard."

"But…I'm here." She said standing up. "And I'm okay." She put her hand on his shoulder. Grunt snorted and took a step back, yanking his shoulder away from Shepard.

"Bah, look at you Shepard. Your stomach is probably stripped to pieces underneath all of those bandages."

"Grunt, listen. I'll be fine. You don't have to be scared anymore. I have the two best damn doctors ever on this ship." Grunt looked down, then turned his back on her.

"…I'm sorry Shepard. ….And…I know why you want me and the turian to talk out our problems. You don't want us to kill each other before we take on the collectors."

"I don't want you guys to kill each other afterwards either."

"…I'll….apologize…..but only for you Shepard. You're my Battle Master, and if you want us both to clear our heads about this, then we will." As he got ready to leave the room, Shepard stopped him.

"Grunt…." She punched him in the arm. "Thanks."


End file.
